BURNING ANC WILL LOSE POWER RAMAPHOSA
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has warned his party that it will lose the 2024 general elections if members continue to fight over power and access to resources to serve their personal interests.
Insisting that the governing party was “a house on fire”, the president implored members to focus on “putting out fires of corruption” and the “fire of everything that is going wrong” in the ANC, rather than on squabbles for public resources.
Ramaphosa issued the warning while delivering his closing address at the ANC’s 13th Mpumalanga provincial elective conference, which concluded at Witbank Dam, Emalahleni, yesterday.
Ramaphosa also took issue with delegates for electing murder-accused Mandla Msibi as the provincial treasurer, saying they needed to “reflect” on the impact of their choices on ANC renewal efforts.
In a speech filled with candid reflections on the state of the governing party, its challenges and future electoral prospects, the president told hundreds of ANC members they needed to arrest the ANC’s decline or face electoral defeat.
“Contestation in the ANC in Mpumalanga was rooted over power and access to resources. We will lose the 2024 elections if we continue in the manner we did,” Ramaphosa said.
“Our people will never have confidence in us as long as they see us fighting among ourselves, or for as long as they see us fighting over the resources that belong to them.”
Ramaphosa said the burning of provincial ANC offices “by a disgruntled comrade” last month was “a metaphor for the state of affairs of the ANC that should not be lost on us”.
“Our house is on fire, and we are the ones who must put out this fire. And you as delegates here, you must put out the fire of divisions.
“You must put out the fire of corruption. You must put out the fire of everything that is going wrong in your movement.
“Last year’s local government election results are just one of the indicators that our movement faces serious challenges,” Ramaphosa said.
He also acknowledged that prior to the election of his ally, newly elected Mpumalanga ANC chairperson Mandla Ndlovu, delegates at the conference had been highly divided among three factions.
This included Ngqi7, linked to losing chairperson contender Lucky Ndinisa, RMT (Refiloe Mtsweni Tsipane) and Focus, led by Ndlovu.
According to sources, the Ngqi 7 and RMT groups were initially a unified body that backed Deputy President David Mabuza, but split before the provincial conference.
Due to their differences, the two grouping sfailed to produce a consolidated slate, which resulted in Premier Mtsweni-Tsipane withdrawing her nomination, while Ndinisa had to be nominated from the floor by 222 votes. The differences between the two groupings are believed to have led to Ndlovu and his Focus team enjoying a resounding victory.
Ramaphosa also took issue with the election of murder accused Mandla Msibi as the new provincial ANC treasurer. Msibi, who was charged with murder last year, but was elected alongside Ndlovu, his deputy Speedy Mashilo, secretary Muzi Chirwa and deputy secretary Lindiwe Ntshalintshali.
A seemingly disappointed Ramaphosa called on ANC members to reflect
on the impact on the party's renewal process of the election of leaders who were facing criminal charges.
Ramaphosa further lamented the poor state of ANC-controlled municipalities across the country, saying in most cases this was due to the infighting that had consumed the party.
“You were divided. You have elected a leadership that is meant to unite you. You must back the spirit of renewal in the ANC. All of you in this conference agreed to unite and rally behind all those that were elected,” Ramaphosa said.
For his part, Ndlovu came out in support of Ramaphosa, asking his supporters to desist from associating themselves with the factional groupings they supported before the provincial conference.
“There will no longer be Focus, Ngqi 7 and RMT. Those who continue to associate themselves with the different lobby groups will be on the wrong side of the organisation. We are one,” Ndlovu said.